With just four races left in the 2024 F1 season, Red Bull is heading into the Brazilian Grand Prix facing a series of critical challenges. After a lackluster performance in Mexico, where Max Verstappen dropped to sixth due to both a 20-second penalty and a lack of pace, team principal Christian Horner has laid out the hurdles Red Bull must clear to keep their championship hopes alive.
Historically, Red Bull’s cars have performed well in Mexico, but this year’s race told a different story. Despite securing second in qualifying, Verstappen struggled throughout the 71-lap race, falling behind both Ferraris and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Verstappen reported a troubling lack of grip and power from Friday practice, issues that only worsened in the race. In a crucial admission, Horner noted the team’s biggest takeaway: their difficulty finding traction, particularly on the hard tires.
“We just didn’t have the same pace,” Horner said. “That is the biggest thing we need to take away from here.” He emphasized the necessity of quickly addressing these tire issues, which left Verstappen grappling for control on nearly every lap.
Red Bull now faces a steep uphill battle in the constructors’ standings, where they’ve dropped to third behind Ferrari. Ferrari’s recent 1-2 finish in Austin and 1-3 in Mexico has pushed Red Bull into an even tighter spot as they look to close the gap with limited opportunities left. “It will be very difficult,” Horner admitted, acknowledging the growing gap, but he insisted the team “will fight very hard.”
Adding to Red Bull’s struggles, the team has opted for a new power unit for Verstappen’s car in Brazil, intended to increase horsepower and address the top-end speed deficit seen in Mexico. However, this upgrade doesn’t come without a cost. Verstappen will incur a five-place grid penalty, meaning wherever he qualifies, he’ll need to start five positions lower—a setback that could further complicate Red Bull’s Brazilian GP ambitions.
Heading into Interlagos, the team is under immense pressure to solve its grip and power issues within a tight four-day turnaround. As Horner put it, “Max had no grip, we didn’t feel we could switch the tires on. That’s the biggest challenge in the next four days, to understand what caused that.”
With the Sprint format adding another layer of intensity to the weekend and Ferrari’s surging momentum, Red Bull will need all hands on deck to stay in contention. The question remains: can Verstappen pull off a comeback in Sao Paulo, despite the grid penalty, and keep his title hopes intact?
